Of Talking Men and Street Scams
He asked me sympathetically why I gave money to the “Talking Man”….The fake watch vendor, shook his head and clicked is tongue, scoldingly. I said, “I believed him”. Again, I got the sympathetic eyes and sad face… “You should never believe a Talking Man” he replied…but then, almost in the same breath came the call, “Want to buy a Rolex?” Surreal for sure!!
Mark and I decided to eat North American one night so we were heading across the busy Galle Rd when a mid-aged man started walking with us. At the median, he began the, now familiar, banter… “You don’t recognize me, eh?” I looked at Mark, he at me… “No” Mark said politely. “I work at the Sapphire, I’m a bartender, there – I’m not wearing my uniform today – that’s why you don’t know me!”. We laughed – I thought I caught a glimmer of recognition in Mark’s eyes and later, I learned that Mark thought I had recognized the guy. He helped us a bit with directions and told us not to buy electronics in a nearby store because they were expensive and then he said he had to go because he had a Doctor’s appointment at the clinic “over there”. We said our good byes and thought nothing of the chance meeting…until 20 minutes later when we came out of another store and the same guy was in front of us. He said he had to pay a medical bill and that he would give us his watch in exchange for 800 rupees. I couldn’t bear him giving us his watch as collatoral so I suggested to Mark that we just give the money. The smallest denomination Mark had was 1,000 – As the guy walked away…Mark and I had the conversation we should have had after the first time the guy met us. I said, “Did you recognize that guy from the hotel?” “No, I thought you did” was Mark’s reply…. we both smiled knowingly… We’d been SCAMMED!
How did he know we were from the Sapphire though? We figured he had got the information from the three-wheeler we had just gotten out of. And I proved this point a few days later. At Majestic City, I had just climbed out of a Global Tower hotel car and entered a bookstore when a vaguely familiar-looking Sri Lankan man came up to me and said, “You’re from Global Towers – how are you – you don’t recognize me, na?” I could not believe it… there he was right in front of me doing the same schtick!! I told the guy, “I do recognize you and I want your WATCH!!” I figured I couldn’t get our money back from him but he still had his watch!! He was surprised with my outburst in the store and said immediately, “No, no, you have the wrong person, I’m a tuk-tuk driver!” I’m flaring now, “Okay, show me your tuk-tuk… and give me your watch!! you took money from me and my husband and I want it back!!” The guy ran out of the store and down to where the tuk-tuk’s were parked – I followed him – “I’m going to tell every tourist I know about your scam – you will be put out of business” I irrationally told him – he surprised me with this retort: “I will go to Kandy to Anaradapura, you will not be able to stop me!!”. It was all kind of funny and good entertainment for the tuk-tuk drivers – I wasn’t really upset…more intrigued about how this guy operated – and his good english!!
After the scam artist went into the Mall, one of the street vendors gave me the warning of never to talk to a “Talking Man” and I haven’t since that day! Well, sometimes, I tell them “I don’t talk to strangers” – Sometimes I just ignore them – Sometimes I tell them I’ve been in Sri Lanka for a long time and I know what they’re up to.
You see, the regular Sri Lankans, although a friendly bunch when you get to know them, are not typically the type to “chat up” perfect strangers. Only “talking men” do – and there are quite of few those types in places where tourists hang out. They usually start talking to you about the weather and how hot it is…then they ask where you’re from and how long you’ve been in Sri Lanka – if you’re still on amiable terms, they will see if you want to go to the festival…see an elephant… etc. How do I know this? Almost everyone can tell you such a story….there was one of friends who got taken on one such scam where he ended up seeing an elephant, a few other sites but then had to pay the three-wheeler driver an astronomical fee and just when his head was beginning to clear, the talking man said he had to pay him!! Oh there are many stories!
Here are pictures of Talking Men who walk the beat between Crescat Mall and the Galle Face Hotel. You’d think after I had got rid of one that the others wouldn’t try… but alas…
